Meet The Class Of 2018 At Kellogg

will-general-poetsandquants-classof2018

Will General

Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Outgoing and enjoy meeting new people. Inquisitive and interested in diverse opinions.

Hometown: New Haven, CT

Fun Fact about Yourself: I played D1 Baseball at Davidson College as a Catcher/DH. My most memorable moment was a walk-off base hit against The Citadel.

Undergraduate School and Major: Davidson College / Sociology

Looking back on your experience, what advice would you give to business school applicants? Be thoughtful and enjoy the process. Even when you are preparing to sit for the GMAT for the third time (I’m in the “third time is the charm” club) or working on version 27 of your application essays (I promise, it is worth it), remember that there are few times in your life you are given the opportunity to willingly forgo an income in lieu of investing in your education. As you work on applications, take time to be introspective and share with the admissions committee who you are, why you believe their institution is right for you, and (conversely) why you are right for their institution.

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? At the risk of repeating themes iterated in every informational session or business school blog, the culture at Kellogg was the tipping point in my decision making process. While rankings and access (both in terms of alumni and the wealth of opportunities in Chicago) were important considerations, Day At Kellogg (DAK – accepted student visit) tipped the scales and proved to me the importance of culture and community. Through the three days, I was amazed by the character of students, faculty, staff and alumni. I was inspired by the sense of camaraderie and willingness to support one another in each individual’s professional and personal development.

Beyond Kellogg’s culture, the rigor and breadth of Kellogg’s academic curriculum aligned closely with my ideal MBA experience. Kellogg’s core curriculum will allow me to build fundamental concepts across disciplines that will be valued by post-MBA employers. In addition, the wide range of elective courses will allow me to explore areas of interest such as innovation strategy, data driven marketing and negotiation strategies.

Tell us about your dream job or dream employer at this point in your life? Prior to Kellogg, I was a Senior Corporate Strategy Analyst at a major Financial Services firm and fell in love with strategy (what a company decides to do and, often more importantly, what not to do). While I realized that financial services is not my core passion, I realized that strategy is. My dream job will allow me to strategically lead a business in an industry I am passionate about (haven’t figured that part out yet) by applying learnings from both classroom and professional settings.

What would you like your business school peers to say about you after you graduate from this program? While Will was focused on recruiting and post-graduate employment, he was present and took advantage of the two years out of the workforce. He was an active contributor in the classroom, clubs, and social life. Will has diverse interests and aims to connect with people from various backgrounds. On any given day, you could find him with friends from Black Management Association, Jewish Business Association, Brew ‘n Q (Beer and BBQ Club) or the Golf Club.

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